Maria Sharapova has a new man in her life

Maria Sharapova's new coach – Sven Groeneveld is Maria Sharapova's new coach. Groeneveld has a wealth of experience and worked in the past with Ana Ivanovic, Andy Murray and Caroline Wozniacki.

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A tough second half of 2013 – Sharapova began the season well, going 36-5 and reaching yet another final at the French Open. But following Paris, her campaign turned for the worse.

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Ouch – Sharapova injured her hip at Wimbledon in a nasty fall and was upset by qualifier Michelle Larcher de Brito in the second round.

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A brief return – Sharapova missed tournaments in California and Canada due to the hip problem but returned in Cincinnati. However, she lost her opener to Sloane Stephens.

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That didn't last long – After cutting ties with Thomas Hogstedt, Sharapova hired former No. 1 Jimmy Connors, left, as her coach. But their partnership lasted a mere one match.

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Keeping busy – Sharapova didn't play a match after Cincinnati because of a recurring shoulder injury but still showed up in New York ahead of the U.S. Open to promote her candy company.

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The goal – In hiring Groeneveld, Sharapova surely hopes he can help her win another grand slam title. The last of her four major victories came at the 2012 French Open when she completed her grand slam collection.

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Story highlights

Maria Sharapova names Sven Groeneveld as her new tennis coach

Sharapova has been without a coach since a brief spell with Jimmy Connors

Groeneveld has worked with the likes of Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki and Andy Murray

Sharapova hasn't played since August because of a recurring shoulder injury

There is a new man in Maria Sharapova's life.

No, the Russian hasn't split up with tennis playing boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov. Instead she has hired Sven Groeneveld as her new coach.

Sharapova has been without a coach since dumping former No. 1 Jimmy Connors in August -- they lasted one match together. Only a month earlier the four-time grand slam champion ended her long partnership with Thomas Hogstedt.

In announcing her association with Groeneveld -- who has worked with Ana Ivanovic, Andy Murray and Caroline Wozniacki -- Sharapova also revealed she returned to practice after a worrying shoulder injury that has kept the 25-year-old off the tour since the summer.

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"I'm happy to announce my official partnership with Sven Groeneveld," Sharapova told her website. "We've been working together since I got back on the court and after seeing him on the opposing side for so many years, I'm excited to have him become a part of my team.

"It has been a very seamless transition and I have had a lot of fun with the hard work we have put in so far. Looking forward to the year ahead."

The tennis season just passed was a tale of two halves for Sharapova.

She won 36 of her initial 41 matches in 2013 and reached another French Open final, losing to Serena Williams.

But Sharapova hurt her hip in a second-round defeat to qualifier Michelle Larcher de Brito at Wimbledon and lost to highly touted American Sloane Stephens in Cincinnati with Connors in the stands.

It proved to be her final encounter of the campaign, with the shoulder problems resurfacing.